Lando Norris requires a minimum of three more points than Max Verstappen at this weekend's Las Vegas Grand Prix to keep his title hopes alive.

Max Verstappen played down his prospects of clinching a fourth consecutive drivers' world championship at this weekend's Las Vegas Grand Prix.

If Verstappen finishes ahead of Lando Norris in the Las Vegas GP, he will seal the 2024 title.

Formula One drivers on Thursday blasted the "tone and language" used by FIA president Mohammed Ben Sulayem amid a row over swearing at press conferences.

Verstappen was knocked out in Q2 after a delayed red flag.

Norris won the sprint race after late race team orders by McLaren, which saw teammate Oscar Piastri hand him victory.

The setback comes as his hopes of a fourth successive world title have been steadily dented by McLaren rival Lando Norris who is 47 points behind in the F1 World Drivers Championship 2024.

Carlos Sainz cruised to an emotional victory for Ferrari ahead of McLaren's Lando Norris in Sunday's incident-filled Mexico City Grand Prix

Carlos Sainz seized pole position for Sunday's Mexico City Grand Prix with a consummate performance for Ferrari in Saturday's qualifying session, outpacing Red Bull's defending champion Max Verstappen

It was the first time in 12 events since the Emilia Romagna Grand Prix in May that the three-time world champion had secured any kind of pole position.

Norris, speaking ahead of the Austin race, admitted the controversy could shift the balance slightly in their championship battle but downplayed its overall significance.

World champion Max Verstappen on Sunday described his punishment for swearing as "silly" and threatened the row could hasten his exit from Formula One.

McLaren's Lando Norris beat Red Bull's Max Verstappen to pole position Saturday for the Singapore Grand Prix in a dramatic qualifying session red-flagged when Carlos Sainz crashed.

The FIA emphasised that public statements from World Championship participants must adhere to generally accepted standards, as drivers serve as role models both on and off the track.

Max Verstappen declared "the fight is not over" as Red Bull head to Singapore this week having been knocked off the top of the constructors' world championship for the first time in two-and-a-half years.

Briton Norris is 62 points behind three-time champion Verstappen of Red Bull with eight Grand Prix races left this year, plus three sprint races.

Verstappen finished a disappointing P6 at the Italian Grand Prix.

Newey-designed cars have won 25 F1 titles over a glittering career.